This is the same Brian Lenihan who told the nation two years ago that "the worst is over" and "we have turned a corner". The same Brian Lenihan who said the bank guarantee would be the "cheapest bailout in history".

The same Brian Lenihan who briefed Cabinet colleagues as they proceeded to claim reports of an imminent bailout were "fiction". And the same Brian Lenihan who Fianna Fail colleagues say did "encourage dissent" against Brian Cowen and told backbenchers to "look at the numbers", despite his protests to the contrary.

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